Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking book
Review: "Harlot by the Side of the Road" is a compelling, thought provoking book. Kirsch does more than
simply "expose" some unsettling passages from the
bible. He analyzes these passages and looks for
the deeper moral lessons contained within. It is
this analysis that makes the book so compelling as
Kirsch brings the sacred text to life by commenting
on the relevance for modern times.
Rating:
Summary: Kirsch takes us to the edge of the abyss and sometimes blink
Review: "Harlot by the Side of the Road" is a scholarly yet page-turning analysis of several problematical stories within the Hebrew Tanahk. He tackles the themes of sex, violence, courage and cowardice in the X-rated portions of The Bible with courage and insight.Well-written and well-researched, "Harlot..." is as informative as it is thought-provoking. He is boldest at the core of the book. His courage seems to falter at the begining and end, when Kirsch seems invested in adding a positive spin to horrific acts of gang rape, genocide, incest, and more. When Kirsch takes us to the edge of the abyss and then pulls back, he seems to be conflicted over his loyalties as a man, a feminist, a Jew, a historian. Nonetheless, Kirsch writes with style and insight. "Harlot...is well worth reading
Rating: 
Summary: Bible enthusiasts should also embrace the darker tales
Review: A true Bible scholar embraces the dark side as well as the good, and Kirsch dishes up the murkier details of the evil deeds people have done to one another throughout the ages. While fundamentalists often object to hearing anything less than squeaky clean coming from the Good Book, the Bible stories themselves are cautionary tales. The Bible is like an instruction manual for life, and all good manuals contain sections on troubleshooting. The Harlot By the Side of the Road has a few flaws, such as the author tends to hammer the same ideas over and over, but it is still an interesting read. I was particularly interested in the differences between the King James version and the New American Bible, and how we have lost the poetry in the new translations. It's as if we are "dumbing down" the Bible to make it more accesible, and at the same time glossing over some of the juicier tales. I feel that Kirsch's book should be placed on the shelf along side other Bible study books such as the History of God, and of course, the Holy Bible.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional!
Review: Anyone interested in the Bible should read this book. The exploration of conflicting and paradoxical moral structures is facinating and eye-opening. Easy to read, well-written, and filled with insight and historical perspective, "Harlot..." gets a big thumbs up!
Rating: 
Summary: A tabloidesque retelling of important Bible stories
Review: Anyone who is really familiar with the Bible knows these stories and their relevance to the more general situations. I was hopeful that more scholarship would have been employed in trying to explain the deeper meanings or lessons of these stories, or that they would have been put into context within the culture of the time. However, what I got was a "National Enquirer" approach to these episodes -- a little bit of fact -- no more than what's actually printed in the Bible, and where you think it's vague, put in some swaying breasts (not really printed anywhere in the Bible) to spice it up.
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed Kirsch's in-depth analysis of certain stories.
Review: Because this book has been thoroughly reviewed by other readers, please take my comments only as additions to those earlier reviews. I enjoyed the book in general, but purchased it primarily for Kirsch's take on the episode in Exodus 4 in which it is said that God tried to kill Moses, but was foiled by Moses's wife Zipporah. This tale has intrigued me for several years and I have not been able to find any substantial discussion of it in other commentaries or readily available scholarly works. Kirsch's discussion of this episode is in-depth and calls on much biblical scholarship. He speaks on a high intellectual level to the reader. I admit I found the chapters in which Kirch retells the stories rather irritating. Especially in his retelling of the Exodus 4 story, he adds nothing to the tale that the average reader could not imagine on his own. I also found Kirsch's introductory chapters somewhat condescending in tone. Nonetheless, this book is a crucial addition to any personal biblical library.
Rating:
Summary: Stimulating
Review: First, let me say that I am an atheist who has never really sat down to read the bible at any great length, and yet I was familiar with several of the "forbidden tales". I found the book to be an entertaining and somewhat thought provoking read. Reading Kirsch's book has actually made me want to explore further the field of biblical analysis and scholarship. So, I suppose that you could say in that respect, the book is good. What, after all, should a book do if not make you want to know more about its subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: Scholarly if nothing else
Review: Harlot By The Side of the Road is billed (on the cover of the book, no less) as "Forbidden Tales of the Bible", a theme that is further developed on the fly leaves. It is that, but so much more. Concentrating on those tales (that do involve sex, incest, rape) that many would rather forget are in the Bible, Kirsch analyzes them on two levels: He retells each of seven tales in narrative style, then follows with a detailed (scholarly even!) analysis of how that tale came to be and why it has meaning for us all, despite its' apparent purient nature. Two examples suffice to illustrate: 1. Lot's drunken incestuous relationship with his daughters is that, but it is no worse than the necessarily incestuous relationship inherent in the Creation Myth (who did the children of Adam and Eve marry?). Kirsch reminds us that the devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah was so extensive that Lot's daughters truly believed that they were the only people left on earth,... and from this incestuous event arose the lineages of Moab, from whom came a woman (Ruth) whose lineage then went on to David and Jesus. Thus Kirsch concludes that "... the mountain cave .... turns out tobe the womb of history, in both Jewish and Christian traditions" 2. The Rape of Dinah is indeed a tale of mindless genocide over an incident that may or may not have a historical basis, but it is also a mirror on humanity which has used two methods to solve problems -- armed conflict vs negotiated settlements. Sometimes one, sometimes the other. Both are evident in this story. Kirsch notes that the "pious ghoswriters who fashioned myth and legend... into the book we know as the Bible" wove commentaries on both methods into this tale. Highly recommended for thoughtful readers.
Rating:
Summary: Harlot; Honest, interesting insight into the "hidden" bible
Review: Harlot by The Side of the Road was not only an interesting read that kept my attention throughout, it was a refreshing viewpoint which challeneged religious boundaries and censorship. The book focused on stories from the bible, well researched and explicated, which are not usually included in biblical texts. Kirsch has taken taboo subjects and explored them as part of human nature. I found that Kirsch retained a great sense of respect for ancient texts while trying to keep such sensitive subjects open to speculation and exploration. This was a great book and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting subject, writing style is hard to read...
Review: I enjoyed the stories in this book, the 'intriguing, sin-filled' stories that permeate the Bible. Kirsch makes some excellent points throughout the text but his writing style is most difficult to read. He writes like a disinterested scholar rather than an impassioned explorer of the world's most divisive, powerful, and glorious book. I was disappointed in the writing but not the subject.
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